LUX* Belle Mare

With chic new interiors by British design queen Kelly Hoppen, LUX* Belle Mare, on the east coast's finest beach, is now the coolest hotel on the island. Thatched roofed suites and villas are dressed in soothing whites, with coloured throws, and services at the touch of an app.

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£284per night

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Location

8/10

On the breezier east coast's Belle Mare Plage, one of the island's most beautiful talcum sandbeaches, about an hour's drive from the airport. A popular undersea walk lies just offshore and the spa's 'Wellbeing Safari' takes guests on a nature walk, with yoga, meditation and laughtertherapy, in Domaine de L'Etoile. Trou d'Eau Douce, the jumping off point for Ile aux Cerfs, and bustling Flacq market are a 20-minute drive away.

Style & character

9/10

The cool concepts created by visionary hotelier Paul Jones are most evident at LUX*'s flagshiphotel, from the mint-tea-scented lobby to Creole lessons over a drink in the authentic rum shack – with salvaged wood and broken glass windows – by the pool in the afternoon. British design queen Kelly Hoppen took his 'lighter and brighter' ideas to heart in revitalising the hotel's thatched mod-colonial, sea-facing suites, villas and public areas with a chic look, which manages to be both simple and smart, with light clay external walls, and inside, soothing whites and splashes of vibrant colour.

There's an element of theatre and fun at this hotel, with a 1933 Rolls Royce used for the Duchess of York's (Queen Mother) visit parked in the grounds, a tree of wishes and a tea house with a lavish 88 varieties for tastings. PhotoFanatics workshops offer drone (chargeable) and phone tuition to capture that perfect shot. LUX*'s tread lightly concept means solar powered lights in jars, distilled water earth (still) and dance (sparkling) bottled on-site in recyclable glass, and refillable own brand toiletries in bathrooms, which are refreshingly different and really rather good.

Service & facilities

8/10

Service is personal, with the hands-on General Manager, Ashish Modak, making the rum cocktails at the cooking class once a week, a Wellness Concierge at the LUX* Me Spa, which was voted the island's best in Spa Finders Wellness Travel Awards 2015, and a genuinely friendly staff. Facilities include a technogym, tennis courts and a 2,000 sq metre central pool – allegedly the largest on the island, and an adults-only pool near the romantic suites is in the pipeline.

Bar

Beach

Fitness centre

Kids' club

Laundry

Parking

Pool

Restaurant

Room service

Sauna

Spa

Steam room/hammam

Tennis court

Wi-Fi

Rooms

8/10

People love the 174 contemporary suites, with sea-facing balconies, and a beachy feel painted soothing white, with cooling light woods and splashes of vibrant colour in bed throws and cushions, and comfortable LUX* Sleep Tight beds. Of eight room types, the honeymoon suites are the biggest, with splashes of turquoise or parrot green depending on whether they're beside the garden or the sea, and surrounding a thatched gazebo over a pond with koi and carp used for weddings and romantic dinners. Romantic suites are set on the quieter side of the resort, and there are 14 family suites. The 12 spacious villas are luxurious while being homely, with rooms encircling a courtyard pool and a semi-private beach.

Food & drink

8/10

With four restaurants offering authentic fine dining, including Indian, Chinese, international classics and 'veggie heaven' dishes on every menu, there's plenty of choice. A funky yellow food truck serves fusion food on naturally-distressed tables on the sand and classic American smokehouse fare in the evening. Amari by Michelin-starred chef Vineet is a must, with mouth-watering modern dishes such as fish encrusted with coconut and peanut chutney, baked in a banana leaf. Mediterranean-style Beach Rouge is the spot for a strawberry, lime and vanilla rum cocktail by the beach to Balearic beats – or choose from 100 gins, infused with homegrown herb-infused tonics.

Ibiza-style K-Bar, decked out like a microbrewery, serves B-Lux* craft beers, including Cuvee Lux* brewed with LUX* own-brand coffee (made on-site) aged in bourbon barrels. Flute is an adults-only champagne bar in a secluded sunken pit on the beach, and a new table d'hôte restaurant showcasing different chefs each month will launch in January 2019. Romantic candle lit dinners (6,000 Mauritian rupees/£125) can be arranged, and a dining experience features lamb and fish slow-cooked underground and served at the hotel's aubergine farm, reimagined in the times of French Captain John Belle Mare, who founded Belle Mare village.

Value for money

8/10

Junior suites from €209 (£181) in low season; and from €492 (£426) in high. Half board. Free Wi-Fi. With a boutiquey feel, added extras such as complimentary canapes, red telephone boxes for free calls home and daily treats in a message in a bottle, make the hotel good value, with all-inclusive packages.

Access for guests with disabilities?

Yes, three rooms have handrails and all public areas are wheelchair-accessible.

Family-friendly?

Parents can have a drink or lunch while children play in the central pool, and a shallow lagoon suits families with toddlers. There's plenty to do at the kids' and teens' club, which now has its own spa treatment room, and children love the cinema paradiso with popcorn near the beach, homemade ice cream kiosk and bike rides.